Far from the noise of the shoreline, the seabed keeps its own kind of silence. Beneath the moving surface of the Java Sea, the overturned Virgo Transport 8 now rests in darkness, surrounded by currents that have repeatedly slowed the people trying to reach it.
On Friday, Indonesian divers succeeded in entering the vessel and recovered three bodies, according to Reuters and the Associated Press. The discovery raised the confirmed death toll from the accident to nine. Another 126 people remained missing, while 108 survivors had already been rescued.
The ferry had been sailing from Surabaya toward Banjarmasin when it encountered rough conditions on Sunday. Its manifest listed 243 people aboard, including passengers and crew. The vessel was also transporting dozens of vehicles during the voyage.
For several days, the sea prevented divers from working directly inside the wreck. Waves and strong underwater currents created conditions that could quickly become dangerous, limiting access to the vessel and forcing rescue teams to work around the weather rather than according to a fixed timetable.
When conditions improved, a group of 17 divers descended toward the ferry. Guide ropes helped establish a controlled route to the wreck, allowing divers to enter through a broken window. Inside, they located the three victims and brought their bodies to the surface for transfer to Banjarmasin.
The physical position of the ferry has made the operation more complicated. Authorities said the ship was lying upside down at a depth of around 29 meters. It had also drifted approximately 453 meters from its original sinking location, with the stern embedded in the seabed.
The wreck is now part of a larger recovery effort. Officials have prepared equipment for salvage operations while underwater teams continue assessing what can safely be reached. The absence of reported fuel leakage has also been noted by authorities as teams work around the vessel.
Above the wreck, the search continues across the Java Sea. Rescue operations have involved different Indonesian agencies, including search-and-rescue personnel and naval units. Their work has shifted according to the changing conditions, moving between surface searches and the more specialized task of entering the ferry itself.
The passage of time gives the operation a different rhythm. On the surface, hours can pass with little visible change. Below it, divers work within limited periods, equipment constraints and the natural pressure of the sea. Every entry into the wreck becomes a carefully measured operation.
The Indonesian authorities continue efforts to recover those still missing and manage the wreckage of the Virgo Transport 8. The search remains underway, with further underwater operations dependent on conditions at the site.
AI Image Disclaimer The images accompanying this article were generated with AI technology and should be understood as illustrative reconstructions, not documentary photographs.
Sources Reuters Associated Press Al Jazeera
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